Chicken Heart for the American Soul

Ok, so I didn't have chicken heart soup. But, I was conned into eating chicken heart. Plain. No soup, no broth, no cute carrots, no comforting celery.

Taiwanese (probably Chinese, too) markets are a scary place. Imagine walking in a narrow alleyway. Now add about 75 sellers with goods, 200 buyers, stray dogs, a couple motorcycles, and howling children. Oh, silly me. How could I forget the dead chicken, dead ducks, dead pigs, dead cows, dead goats, dead fish, and about a million thriving flies?

Even though I'm not used to this environment, I think the markets are fascinating. I see hardworking people doing their best to make a living. All the hustle and bustle actually creates a sense of community. Neighbors call to each other on the street. Buyers and vendors become friends (but when bargaining, they still sound like they're fighting). People see me, the strange foreigner, and are actually quite kind.

The noise is nothing that I've ever heard before. People are constantly shouting, advertising their goods. I almost feel bad when I don't buy their things. But this one old lady got the better of me, and I ended buying what I thought was a bushel of long green grass. It's been a week, and I'm still eating those darn weeds. Because of this experience and several others, when I really feel pressured to buy something, I put on a blank stare and vacant smile and pretend that I don't speak Chinese. It honestly works! But, I think they feel sorry for me because they think I'm really sorry. Little do they know that the joke is on them.

I also wish I could take more pictures, but I think that makes them nervous because I definitely see some illegal wares. I saw a man selling a bunch of shark fins! I was transported back to my freshman debate topic (sustainable fisheries). For all of you who like eating shark fin soup, STOP! After fishermen or fisher womyn (haha, that's how you spell "women" in a feminist debate critique) spear the shark, they chop off all the fins and throw the shark back into the ocean to die. Some people who eat shark fin soup saw it's ok because they are not eating the fins of endangered sharks. But, how can you know the shark you're eating is not endangered when it's floating in your soup!

Anyways, there are a lot of dead animals at the market. That sight (along with the flies) have made me want to be a vegetarian (I've actually been eating a lot less meat), but that doesn't stop me from going to the market. I just like going because everything seems new and remarkable to me, especially the dead wax-eyed ducks. And for the curious, no. I haven't seen any dead mandarin ducks yet. That means that bimbo fowl and his girlfriend are still on the loose.

But, whenever I get close to a stand, they think that I'm going to buy. It's kind of annoying sometimes because I am in no way interested in buying their spiky durian, pork intestines, or chicken hearts. Oh, the chicken hearts...

Last week, I was at a market with Anneke. We came to a stand with pulverized poultry all over the table. I, wanting to get a better look, stepped closer. The owner of the stand interpreted that move as interest and started chatting to me. To be polite, I said that some of the food she had prepared for sale looked good (ok, so maybe I need a lesson on Chinese small talk). She immediately replied that her food tasted good too. She then speared a chicken heart (cooked, thank goodness) and in one fluid motion, placed it in front of my mouth. She looked at me expectantly. I looked at her nervously. Anneke looked at me smugly.

What could I do? I gingerly put the heart, WHOLE, into my mouth and started chewing. The flavor of the sauce wasn't too bad, but the chicken heart was disgusting. The meat was a little tough and muscled, but I think the idea just freaked me out, especially because I knew I was also eating a bunch of arteries. I honestly felt very nauseated and had to thank her with my mouth full, turn around, and finish chewing so I could swallow. Guess who was next: Anneke. The woman, thinking she was going to change our lives one chicken heart at a time, speared another one and offered it to Anneke. Anneke was smarter then me and better prepared. She confidently said that she was a vegetarian (我吃素). I think my mouth must have been opened in surprise. The vendor then asked me if I wanted to buy some. No, thanks. Not unless you were Harry Potter.

I used to think that I was a pretty good eater in America. Honestly, nothing scared me. After a few weeks in Taiwan, I realize that my body has limits. There are just some tastes and flavors that I can't stomach. Basically, I cannot eat random animal body parts. I was really surprised with myself that I won't really eat or drink things with certain fruits, herbs, and flowers. I thought the meat was what scared me, nope.